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Elementary Studio Lesson
ights
r
StarOy rNhautauqua
ve C
Teresa Euken
I
was fascinated and curious when
I saw a self-portrait of Chicagobased artist Mary Ellen Croteau
made from bottle caps. I quickly
started looking for similar projects
online. Was this something that could
be incorporated into my elementary art program? Although I had
been teaching for twenty-six years
in an elementary classroom setting,
this was my first year as a K–5 art
instructor. I was a little nervous as to
20
May/June 2013
whether I would be able to pull off this
huge mural project.
Collecting Caps
I teach in two buildings, so we would
have to make two murals. I knew that
I was going to have to ask our community of 5,700 to help with the collection
of bottle caps. I sent fliers home with
every student explaining the project we
were about to embrace. I put large collection tubs in each school and asked
businesses and groceries if they would
be willing to house collection tubs. The
local newspaper even wrote an article
to let our residents know about our
endeavors. We needed as many shapes,
sizes, and colors as we could possibly
get our hands on. The caps could be
from soda bottles, milk jugs, juice
bottles, frosting tubs, spray paint cans,
mustard caps, fabric softener lids, and
so on.
Recycling Trash to Treasure
This was a great opportunity to learn
about the importance of recycling.
SchoolArts
Continued from page 21.
instruction on safety. The fourth and
fifth graders were allowed to glue the
bottle caps on by themselves in small
groups of three or four. The kindergarten through third graders pulled the
trigger while I held the glue gun. Surprisingly enough, the only one to get
burned (just a little) was me!
Putting the bottle caps on was a
time-consuming process, but students never complained. Some even
volunteered to stay after school and
skip recess to work on it. They loved
watching their masterpieces come
together.
Final Thoughts
I was amazed watching my students'
creativity flourish while working on
these projects. I cannot put into words
the magnitude of all that was experienced while working on this project.
We learned about recycling and protecting our environment. We learned
about the rich history of our community. But perhaps the greatest learning
experience of all in this adventure was
how our community came together
to collect the thousands of bottle
caps needed to create this beautiful,
awe-inspiring piece of artwork. The
response from both parents and community has been overwhelming.
Teresa Euken is an art teacher for the Red
Oak Community Schools in Red Oak,
Iowa.
NatioNal
StaNdard
Students select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.
Web
Changing Lives through
FOLK ART
Join SchoolArts editor Nancy
Walkup and Stevie Mack of
CRIZMAC Art & Cultural Materials
for two culture-based seminars in
Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2013:
Amazing travel
opportunities
for summer
2013!
Celebrating Pueblo Art and Culture,
July 3–9, 2013
Meet and work with Pueblo artists, as well as visit museums and
other cultural sites.
Folk Art Extravaganza, July 10–16, 2013
Meet and work with incredible folk artists, participate in multiple
hands-on activities, enjoy museum visits, and attend the Santa Fe
International Folk Art Market.
liNk
mrseukensartmooseum.wordpress.
com
Visit www.crizmac.com/travel.cfm for registration and further details.
schoolartsonline.com
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